The nerd thread

[TarHeelNation11]

Most of us on here have at least some fairly nerdy habits and likes. Treat this thread as a Safe Space to post, discuss, inform everyone about your nerdy loves, passions, and hobbies.

**Warning** Expect maximum snark level from @gunslingerdick as he continues his crusade to prove to us that he's the coolest guy we've never met.
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I've made it pretty well known on here that I'm a huge LOTR nerd, and I know some of y'all are too. But that's not the nerdiest thing I've done lately.

I recently switched from an iPhone (had it for about two years) back to a Samsung, specifically the Galaxy S7. One of the first things I did upon getting the new phone -- and this was something I knew I was going to do and was one of several reasons I ditched the iPhone -- was to download a Gameboy Color Emulator app, and then install a rom of Pokemon Yellow Version and a rom of Pokemon Blue Version.

Yes, you read that right. One of the reasons I switched away from an iPhone was so I could get a phone with Android, which would allow me to play Gameboy on my phone. And let me tell you, I ain't ashamed of it one bit. My "wasting time while taking a dumb" game has improved considerably. Full-color, 100% accurate recreation of Gameboy Color games on my cell phone. Hold the applause.

 

[gunslingerdick]

**Warning** Expect maximum snark level from @gunslingerdick as he continues his crusade to prove to us that he's the coolest guy we've never met.
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That was a good move. The best defense is a good offense. Had you not put that statement in the original poast, I would have crucified you here. But since you did, I will refrain from poasting in this thread (but I can't promise I won't heckle you in another thread of my choosing). But you had the foresight to get out in front. I tip my cap to you, good sir.

As you were.

 

[heelmanwilm]

I record jeopardy and watch late night on occasion if i'm up late. I usually slay it unless theres some renaissance categories.

 

[BillyL]

I don't have any . . . Is there something I can do for extra credit though.

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

You've already covered Tolkien so I'll add ...

Bonsai trees.

I've been messing around with this at the hobby level for I guess about a decade and a half now. I have several that I think are far enough along to display and another 5 or 6 in various states of development. When I got a new deck I included a shelf built for the bonsai trees. If you beg I might take/post a couple pics when I have a chance.

Oh yeah, and I guess to take it to the extra nerdy level, I have combined these two nerdisms and am working on creating a Treebeard bonsai.

I can't believe I just posted that in public. Safe space, right?

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

I can't believe I just posted that in public. Safe space, right?

Yes - safe space here. But I don't believe THN made any rules against taking your quote to another thread and ripping on you for it.

That said... the Bonsai thing seems kinda cool

 

[TarHeelNation11]

You've already covered Tolkien so I'll add ...
I can't believe I just posted that in public. Safe space, right?

I wouldn't have even seen this if Hark hadn't quoted it.

You've already covered Tolkien so I'll add ...
Oh yeah, and I guess to take it to the extra nerdy level, I have combined these two nerdisms and am working on creating a Treebeard bonsai.

That sounds pretty badass.

Yes - safe space here. But I don't believe THN made any rules against taking your quote to another thread and ripping on you for it.

I can only control what happens in the safe space. I cannot control the vibes that other choose to transport outside the safe space, yea.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

I used to be a big fan of the Pokemon Gameboy games back in the day - never went full nerd with the Pokemon cards though. Although I did have/play Magic The Gathering awhile back.

I don't know what other nerdy stuff I do - I enjoyed the LOTR movies, but am in no way a fanboy. Haven't seen the last 3 Star Wars (I saw the original 3, then Episode 1 which killed my interest in the whole deal). Don't like all the superhero movies that are coming out now, etc. I do watch Survivor religiously - so I guess that could qualify.

I used to be a Boy Scout when I was younger, and am now a Freemason - I guess those can both be considered nerdy by those who are unfamiliar.

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

Do you drive a funny little car in parades?

 

[TarHeelNation11]

I used to be a big fan of the Pokemon Gameboy games back in the day - never went full nerd with the Pokemon cards though. Although I did have/play Magic The Gathering awhile back.

I don't know what other nerdy stuff I do - I enjoyed the LOTR movies, but am in no way a fanboy. Haven't seen the last 3 Star Wars (I saw the original 3, then Episode 1 which killed my interest in the whole deal). Don't like all the superhero movies that are coming out now, etc. I do watch Survivor religiously - so I guess that could qualify.

I used to be a Boy Scout when I was younger, and am now a Freemason - I guess those can both be considered nerdy by those who are unfamiliar.

If I were to rank from nerdiest to least nerdy:

- Playing Magic The Gathering
- Freemason (this might not be nerdy, but I'm not a yankee so I have no clue what being a Freemason entails)
- Playing the Pokemon Gameboy games (but as mentioned, that's awesome)
*I could call being a Boy Scout nerdy, but that would just be me being a hater.

 

[Blue2010]

I'm a weather nerd. I refuse to trust most mainstream meteorological reports and will instead scour over NOAA or WeratherUnderground for the various model predictions and then look up how those same set ups have played out in the past. When I'm trying to get our grass to grow and debating whether or not to water today, that "40% chance of afternoon storms" just doesn't do it for me.

That said, although I am just a mere face in the crowd here and cannot even get a name drop on board-wide polls or decision making threads...I feel as though my body of work speaks for itself in the "cool guy" category. ...then came the part where I had to keep a steady job and support a family. Dammit (back to the crowd).

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

Do you drive a funny little car in parades?

Well, technically those are the Shriners - which is a branch of Masonry (the one branch I'm not yet in, since it's primarily old dudes) - but close enough.

Me in 25 years:

 

[TarHeelNation11]

Well, technically those are the Shriners - which is a branch of Masonry (the one branch I'm not yet in, since it's primarily old dudes) - but close enough.

Me in 25 years:

I have no clue what Shriners are but I'll never badmouth them. My parents were living (read: partying) in Tampa when I was born. I needed surgery when I was less than a year old and the Shriner foundation down there helped pay for the surgery, or something like that. I don't know all the details. I was pretty young, obviously.

 

[gunslingerdick]

In between my crocodile wrestling and my base jumping, I've been doing a little blacksmithing. I know it's kind of embarrassing, but I really enjoy it and I have to find something to occupy my time when it's not rodeo season since I was only chosen as an alternate for the next space shuttle mission.





Sorry THN, I just couldn't help myself. But at least I'm only mocking the thread and not going after anyone individually.

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

There's a clan (probably not the right word?) of Shriners around here that has drift trikes. They're pretty cool.

Like these:

 

[Blue2010]

In between my crocodile wrestling.

Are you afraid of sting rays?

 

[prlyles]

Well, technically those are the Shriners - which is a branch of Masonry (the one branch I'm not yet in, since it's primarily old dudes) - but close enough.

Me in 25 years:

I'm not sure if it's correct to call them a branch of the Masons. You can be a mason and not be a shriner but you can't be a shriner without being a mason.

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

I have no clue what Shriners are but I'll never badmouth them. My parents were living (read: partying) in Tampa when I was born. I needed surgery when I was less than a year old and the Shriner foundation down there helped pay for the surgery, or something like that. I don't know all the details. I was pretty young, obviously.

There's a clan (probably not the right word?) of Shriners around here that has drift trikes. They're pretty cool.

Haha - they're called a Chapter. They are a really good group, they have a burn hospital up here - where they fully fund skin graphs and the numerous surgeries to get burn victims healthy again - and do all the surgeries pro bono (from the funds raised by the group).

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

I'm not sure if it's correct to call them a branch of the Masons. You can be a mason and not be a shriner but you can't be a shriner without being a mason.

Yes, this is correct. The proper terminology is "Appellate Body" but I figured that people would more easily understand if I called it a branch... but you are right.

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

Yes, this is correct. The proper terminology is "Appellate Body" but I figured that people would more easily understand if I called it a branch... but you are right.

Uh oh. You're in deep.

 

[Raising Heel]

First off, I'd like to announce that this is the least productive day I've had at work in quite some time. Good job, OOTB.

Secondly, I'm trying really hard to think of nerdy things I'm into but struggling. Sure, I have the LOTR and Star Wars movies on DVD but does that automatically qualify? Maybe my love of early progressive rock is my qualifier. I sincerely doubt the average OOTBer is into 23-minute long Genesis songs from 1974 that include seven movements.

 

[prlyles]

First off, I'd like to announce that this is the least productive day I've had at work in quite some time. Good job, OOTB.

Secondly, I'm trying really hard to think of nerdy things I'm into but struggling. Sure, I have the LOTR and Star Wars movies on DVD but does that automatically qualify? Maybe my love of early progressive rock is my qualifier. I sincerely doubt the average OOTBer is into 23-minute long Genesis songs from 1974 that include seven movements.

I'm having a hard time coming up with anything myself. I guess I'm just too cool for my own good.

 

[JuleZ '02 HEEL]

I'm having a hard time coming up with anything myself. I guess I'm just too cool for my own good.

Obscure old-timey candy?

 

[prlyles]

Obscure old-timey candy?

What's nerdy about that?

 

[Hark_The_Sound_2010]

What's nerdy about that?

 

[heelz2345]

I would like to make a disclaimer before my statement that I have a hard time considering some things like Star Wars or Marvel movies as an automatically "nerdy" thing since they dominate the box office. Similarly, the tv shows Game of Thrones or Walking Dead might not count as "nerdy" since they are the highest rated shows on cable, but they are based on things that would probably count as "nerdy" (1000+ page fantasy novels and comic books). Of course, with that said, I do consider myself a nerd and some of the things that came to mind for me qualifying as a nerd are as follows

• LOTR/The Hobbit: movies and books. First movie came out when I was 11, been a fan ever since. Saw that movie, read all four books before Two Towers came out.
• Star Wars. Have been a big, big fan since I was about 7 years old.
• Star Trek: Have only watched movies, haven't seen any iteration of the show other than an episode here or there. It's on my list.
• Comic books/graphic novels and the subsequent movies/shows. While I do love your standard superhero comics/movies, they aren't the only ones that I've read/watched. Watchmen, 300, V for Vendetta and The Walking Dead are all graphic novels I've read in addition to watching the movies/shows they've inspired.
• Game of Thrones: show and books. Watched the first two seasons, read all 5 books before the season 3 premiere.
• Harry Potter: movies and books. I was at the midnight release for 3 of the 7 books, starting with Goblet of Fire (missed the Order of the Phoenix release because I was out of the country). Was first in line twice (books 4 & 7), and was interviewed by the local paper as the first in line for the 7th book.
• Legos. I collect Legos, and have characters from a number of the above mentioned properties. I have Lego versions of the Fellowship of the Ring, the Avengers, the Justice League, X-Men, the core group in Star Wars, Indiana Jones, the Ninja Turtles, the Simpsons, Harry Potter, Mystery Inc. (Scooby-Doo), Ghostbusters, and Back to the Future.

There are a few other things I might could mention, but I'm not sure they would be universally considered "nerdy" like playing video games or enjoying to read, but I figured I gave enough ammunition in the post to make it into the nerd club.

 

[heelz2345]

If I like chess, but have never been in a club dedicated to people who like chess, does that count?

 

[marley3k]

 

[heelz2345]

I'm not sure if any of you watch Epic Rap Battles of History on Youtube on a regular basis, but they kicked off their new season about a week or so ago with George RR Martin vs. JRR Tolkien. It's a pretty fun series, there have been plenty of nerdy ones throughout the years (Dumbledore vs. Gandalf, Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates, Deadpool vs. Boba Fett, Ninja Turtles vs. Renaissance Artists, Ghostbusters vs. Mythbusters)